Spira Wars: Episode I
by Yuna-flowering
Summary: Star Wars and FFX crossover. Episode I corresponds with the Phantom Menace. The Machine Faction is blockading the planet of Bevelle, and the Grand Maester sends two Summoners to resolve the conflict... returned from hiatus!
1. The Machine Faction

(Welcome to my newest project: Spira Wars! I've had this idea in mind for well over a year, but I wanted to complete the other fic I was working on first. I am so excited about this-Star Wars and FFX/X-2 are two of my favorite fandoms. This will eventually be a series of 6 fics, spanning all of the Star Wars episodes. _Please_ review, I've been looking forward to posting this for ages and I really want some feedback. Enjoy the story!)

* * *

_Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic of Spira. The taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute. Hoping to resolve the matter with a blockade of deadly battleships, the Machine Faction has stopped all shipping to the small planet of Bevelle. While the Senate of the Spira Republic endlessly debates this alarming chain of events, the Grand Maester has secretly dispatched two Summoners, the guardians of peace and justice in Spira, to settle the conflict…  
_

* * *

They hung in the black void of space like oversized insects, disturbing the otherwise picturesque beauty of the blue-green planet. Battleships, dozens of them—they had been stopping all traffic (except for the occasional authorised ship) in and out of Bevelle for over 2 weeks now. 

The ship approaching at the moment was indeed authorised. It was a small transport, painted a dull red, and was headed straight for the largest ship of the entire fleet, the ship that held the leaders behind the blockade.

On board the small transport ship, one of its escorted passengers leaned down and touched the pilot on the shoulder. "Captain," came an authoritative male voice, from underneath a dark brown hood. "Tell them we want to board immediately."

"Of course." The pilot turned to her computer, and within seconds was able to bring up the image of a tall man with silver hair and beard—the President of the Machine Faction—on the screen.

"Lord Trema," she said respectfully. "With all due respect, the Ambassadors for the Grand Maester would like to board at once."

"Of course," said Trema, with a condescending smile. "We would be happy to receive the Ambassadors. As you know, our blockade is perfectly legal." The screen went black.

* * *

In the docking bay of the Machine Faction ship, the small transport glided in to a smooth landing. Two passengers disembarked, both clad in dark brown robes, one a little taller and wider in the shoulders than the other. They were met by a silver protocol droid, who showed them into a large conference room, complete with a long table and long, wide windows, through which the planet and the blockade could be seen. Only when they were alone did they pull back their hoods. 

The taller and stockier of the two men was in his mid-40's, with chestnut brown eyes and grey-streaked black hair which he wore long, pulled back into a neat ponytail. Underneath his dark robe he wore a cream-colored tunic and pants, and hanging from his belt was a long scabbard, with the hilt of a sword (engraved with a symbol that could best be described as an eye with wings or a cyclops bird) visible at the top of it.

His companion, as well as being relatively short and slender, was at least 20 years his junior. He was in his early-mid 20's, with gold-brown skin and dark brown eyes, both of which were juxtaposed by his snow-white hair. He wore a blue headband to keep his bangs out of his eyes, his clothes were exactly the same as the older man's, and he too carried an engraved sword.

"I sense something, Master Auron," the young man said, looking around the room with a thoughtful air. The older man—Auron—looked up sharply, a slight frown on his face. He hadn't sensed anything, but he'd long since learned to trust his apprentice's intuition.

"What is it?" he asked curiously. "About the mission?"

"Not exactly, no," his apprentice replied, with a puzzled expression. "It's something elsewhere, elusive…"

Auron shook his head slightly. "We have a mission to focus on, Baralai," he said. "If whatever you're sensing is elsewhere, it's obviously not important right now."

"But High Summoner Bahamut says we should be mindful of the future," Baralai said, sounding slightly put out that Auron wasn't taking him seriously.

"Yes, but not at the expense of the moment," Auron replied, giving Baralai a look to assure him that he _did_ take him seriously and wasn't trying to be patronizing. Baralai started to nod but abruptly stopped, suddenly looking sharply at Auron.

"Why are you concealing your Fayth Mark?" he asked. Auron's hand went by habit to his forehead, where he could feel a slightly warmer area of skin—his Fayth Mark, the magical tattoo that all full-fledged Summoners wore, the same shape that was on the hilt of his sword.

Auron sat down and gestured to Baralai to do the same. "Because we need not let them know that we're Summoners," he explained. "If they haven't already figured it out, I don't want to make it obvious."

"Ah, right." There was several seconds' pause, during which Baralai fiddled absent-mindedly with the sleeve of his robe, before he spoke up again.

"Is it particularly… painful?" he asked. "When you get your Fayth Mark?" Auron smiled slightly, knowing that this question was only a façade for Baralai's true concern.

"Not at all," Auron assured him. "It's not painful, just exhausting. After I went through the Trials and got mine, I slept for about eighteen hours." Baralai nodded but still looked worried, and Auron reached over to put a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll do fine in the Trials," he assured his apprentice. "I think you'll be ready sooner than you realise." Baralai pulled a doubtful expression and Auron chuckled.

"I'm serious," he said. "There's not much more you can learn from me. You're certainly calmer and less impulsive than I was at your age."

Baralai grinned and raised an eyebrow. "But no less stubborn, right?" Auron merely grunted, which seemed to amuse Baralai even more. They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Baralai sighed and asked "Is it in their nature to make us wait this long?"

"No," said Auron promptly. "I sense an unusual amount of fear for something as trivial as these trade negotiations." He frowned. "There's something else going on here, I just don't know what it is."

* * *

At the same time as Auron and Baralai were talking in the conference room, Trema was having an urgent, whispered conversation with his second-in-command, Asriel, on the Bridge. 

"They're Summoners? Are you sure?"

Asriel nodded. "Positive."

Trema swore. "Now what are we going to do?" he muttered. "We're no match for Summoners." Asriel opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment the computer terminal behind them started beeping urgently.

"It's a transmission from Lord Omega," said Asriel, walking over and looking at the console.

Trema nodded. "Send it through." Asriel pressed a series of buttons and joined Trema in front of the console, where they both knelt on one knee as the image of the man they knew only as Lord Omega came into view. As usual, he was cloaked from head to foot in black and his face was in the deep shadow of a hood, so all they could see was the end of the nose and chin.

"Are the invasion plans on schedule?" Lord Omega asked in a cold, stern voice.

"Yes, My Lord," said Asriel. "The droids are being loaded onto the landing crafts as we speak."

"Very good," said Omega, with the shadow of a nod. "Proceed as planned."

"Lord Omega, sir," said Asriel hesitantly. "How are we to do this without generating sympathy for Bevelle in the Senate? This invasion won't be legal-"

"I will make it legal," Omega said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I have the Senate bogged down in procedures."

"And the Ambassadors, My Lord?" Trema asked. "They're Summoners. What should we do?"

"The Maester never should have brought them into this," Omega said flatly. "Kill them."

Trema almost protested but stopped himself, merely looking down and murmuring "As you wish, My Lord." As the image on the screen flickered and died, Trema swapped tortured looks with Asriel. How were _they_, corrupt bureaucrats who could barely tell one end of a blaster from the other, supposed to _kill_ a pair of _Summoners_?

* * *

In the conference room, Baralai was talking with Auron when Auron abruptly stopped in mid-word and they both leapt out of their seats, eyes alert and adrenalin flooding through their veins. Baralai could sense—and Auron obviously could too—that the crew of the small ship they'd come in on had just been killed, all of their life forces disappearing in a single instant. They both drew their swords (the blade of Baralai's sword was glowing bright green, and the blade of Auron's was an equally bright red), and on Auron's forehead a brilliant red Fayth Mark blazed into existence. 

Baralai and Auron glanced at each other and started to move cautiously towards the exit of the room when they heard a sudden hissing noise—a cloud of (undoubtedly poisonous) yellow mist had formed in front of the door, and was quickly starting to spread throughout the room.

Auron raised his eyebrows. "The red carpet has teeth," he said, sounding mildly surprised. He nodded to Baralai and they both inhaled deeply and held their breath, their swords up as they walked into the cloud of mist.

They could sense the danger even before they emerged from the cloud, and when they got out into the hallway Auron and Baralai were confronted by at least 15 battle droids. They used their swords to deflect the droids' blaster shots (the energy bolts bounced off the blades, which were ablaze with the magic that was being channelled into them), and began slicing through the droids as they moved forward.

"Don't bother going after all of them!" Auron called over to Baralai. "Cut the ones that matter, and run!" Baralai nodded briefly and raised his hand towards the nearest cluster of battle droids, using his magic to shove them backwards into the wall. Together he and Auron cleared a path for themselves and ran down the corridor, turning a corner as soon as they could and heading for the Bridge.

* * *

Trema was trying not to panic. The summoners were headed this way, cutting through his battle droids with an ease and speed that terrified him. If he fled and let them get away, Lord Omega would kill him, and if he stayed where he was, the Summoners would kill him. He was stuck between a rock and a very hard place. 

"They're coming through!" Trema looked around to see that the center of the door to the Bridge had become a patch of red-hot, molten metal—one of the Summoners was obviously using his enchanted sword to cut through it.

"Close the blast doors!" he snapped, trying not to let any nervousness show in his voice. Beside him, Asriel shook his head sadly.

"That won't be enough," he said. "Have you ever encountered a Summoner before, sir?"

Trema hadn't, but he'd heard the stories. And he had a bad feeling they weren't going to survive this.

* * *

Out in the corridor, Baralai was keeping watch while Auron cut through the thick steel door to the Bridge. He was just starting to come down from his surge of adrenalin when he heard an ominous clicking noise, and three large metal spheres, almost as big in diameter as he was tall, came rolling around the corner towards him and Auron. 

"Master! Destroyers!" Auron looked over his shoulder and swore, pulling his sword out of the door and turning around as the destroyer droids unfolded into their proper shapes and began firing, each one protected by a shield that prevented any deflected energy bolts from hitting it.

"Hmph. This could be bad," Auron muttered, looking around for an escape route. His eyes lit up when he saw a large vent set into the wall a few feet above his head and he caught Baralai's eye, jerking his head toward it. Auron made quick work of the grate and stepped back, letting Baralai jump up into the ventilation shaft before following him. The two Summoners quickly put as much distance between themselves and the Bridge as possible, both thinking the same thing—this situation had gotten entirely out of hand, and they wanted to get out while they still could.

Once they stumbled upon a hangar bay, however, they discovered that the situation was even _more_ out of control than they'd originally thought. Thousands of battle droids were being loaded onto large ground transports, and Auron and Baralai both knew this could only mean one thing.

"It's an _invasion army_," Baralai whispered, completely bewildered. He looked instinctively to Auron for an explanation, but Auron simply shrugged.

"This is an odd play for the Machine Faction," Auron said, a slight frown on his face. After a moment's silence, a thought suddenly occurred to Baralai.

"We have to warn them, down on Bevelle," he said, and Auron nodded in agreement.

"We'll have to get in contact with the Queen." He looked around the hangar for a moment before turning to Baralai. "We'll stow aboard separate ships and meet down on the planet."

"Okay," Baralai said, then suddenly grinned. "You know, Master," he said thoughtfully. "You were right about one thing."

Auron raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" Baralai nodded, looking slightly amused.

"There was definitely something else going on," he said, gesturing to the hangar below them. Auron simply looked at him for a second then let out an amused "hmph", turning back towards the hangar. Beckoning to his apprentice, Auron jumped down from the ventilation shaft, Baralai following a second later. With a silent look and a nod to each other the two men went off in opposite directions, sneaking aboard seperate landing crafts for the trip down to Bevelle.


	2. Invasion

I'm back from hiatus! I just had a lack of inspiration for a while, combined with a lot of stuff going on in my life. Updates may come slowly, but I won't abandon this, I like the idea too much. I know this chapter is short, but if I'd included anything else it would have cut into what I was planning to cover in Chapter 3. I hope you like it anyway. One thing-I know the scene with the Hypello doesn't happen the same way that the scene with Jar-Jar does in the movie, and that was a deliberate decision on my part. I always thought the whole Jar-Jar being clumsy and getting banished thing was stupid, not to mention completely unnecessary to the plot, so I ignored it, and I trust you'll all forgive me :)

* * *

On the Bridge of the Machine Faction Flagship, Trema and Asriel were debating what to do now that the Summoners seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Neither of them wanted to risk Lord Omega's wrath by giving him bad news, and when a noise from the nearby computer terminal indicated that a transmission was coming through they nearly jumped out of their skin. 

Once Asriel got close enough to see the console, however, he sighed in relief. "It's just Queen Anima again," he informed Trema, who also sighed in relief before pasting a calm, composed expression on his face as Asriel accepted the transmission and Anima's face came into view on the screen. The Queen of Bevelle was the youngest one ever elected—only 14 years old—but despite her youth she still managed to come across as both authoritative and intelligent. Her face was completely white with make-up (except for a lavender-colored dot on each cheek and her lips, which were painted lavender as well), her light brown hair was drawn up into an elaborate headdress, and she was wearing an equally elaborate gown of lavender and violet.

"Again you come before us, your Highness," said Trema, amazed at his own acting abilities. "The Machine Faction is pleased."

"You won't be so pleased when you hear what I have to say, President," the Queen retorted. "Your trade boycott of our planet is over."

"I am not aware of such a failure," Trema replied, swapping glances with Asriel and smirking in amusement.

Anima seemed to get even angrier at his obvious arrogance. "Enough of this pretense!" she snapped eventually, her voice cold. "I am aware that the Grand Maester's Ambassadors are with you now, and that you have been ordered to reach a settlement."

Trema was again able to pull off a brilliant acting display—without missing a beat he gave the Queen a condescending smile and said "I know nothing about any Ambassadors. You must be mistaken, your Highness." Anima's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, trying to gauge his truthfulness.

"Beware, President," she said eventually. "The Machine Faction has gone too far this time."

Trema raise his eyebrows, affecting surprise. "We would never do anything without the approval of the Senate, your Highness," he said. "You assume too much."

"We will see," was Anima's only reply, and the screen went black.

"She's right," Asriel commented after a moment. "I know what Lord Omega said, but I don't see how the Senate will ever-"

"It's too late now," Trema interrupted him, shaking his head. "We have no choice." He glanced out the window, where Bevelle could easily be seen, then turned to Asriel. "We must move quickly to disrupt all the communications down there."

* * *

In the throne room of the Palace of St. Bevelle, Queen Anima was speaking with Bevelle's representative in the Senate—a middle-aged man named Mika—via hologram, relaying to him everything that Trema had just told her. 

"That can't possibly be true!" Mika said. "I have assurances from the Maester... his Ambassadors did arrive. It must be the... get... negotiate..." the hologram image of Mika flickered, crackled, then abruptly died.

"Senator Mika!" Anima exclaimed, shocked and worried by the hologram's sudden disappearance. She turned to her Chief of Security, Captain O'aka, and asked "What's happening?"

"I don't rightly now, your Highness," he replied, lifting one shoulder in a shrug, before turning to his sergeant and telling him to check the transmission generators.

"Could it be a malfunction?" one of Anima's Governors (a man named Gandof) asked tentatively.

"It could be the Machine Faction jamming us, your Highness," O'aka pointed out, frowning at the thought.

"A communications disruption can mean only one thing," said Gandof. "Invasion!"

"Don't jump to conclusions, Governor," Anima said, turning her gaze to him. "The Machine Faction would not dare go that far." But she wasn't really so sure, and was trying to convince herself as much as anybody else.

"The Senate would revoke their franchise, and they'd be finished," O'aka added, nodding in agreement.

"We must continue to rely on negotiation," Anima said firmly, refusing to let any doubt show in her voice.

"Negotiation?" Gandof said incredulously. "We've lost all communications! The Maester's Ambassadors can't be accounted for! How can we negotiate? We must prepare to defend ourselves."

O'aka shot him an annoyed look, then leaned closer to speak to Anima. "We're in a dangerous situation, your Highness," he said. "Our security volunteers won't be any match for a Machine Faction Army."

Anima nodded. "I know." Then she raised her voice, so that all of her advisers and handmaidens could hear her. "I will not approve a course of action that will lead us to war."

* * *

Far away from the Palace, in a region of Bevelle that was composed entirely of lakes and swamp land, Auron was running for his life from a massive and well-armed Machine Faction hovercraft. The hovercraft was starting to catch up to him when Auron saw a spot of blue out of the corner of his eye, which tuned out to be some sort of swamp creature—that latched itself onto him with a cry of fright as he passed by. 

"Let go!" he shouted, trying to pull it off him, but after a few seconds he had no choice but to fling himself and the creature down into the mud as the hovercraft passed overhead, barely a foot above them. Once the rush of hot wind had subsided Auron pulled himself up out of the muddy water, making sure that the hovercraft wasn't coming back before turning to look at the strange swamp creature. It was a little more than half his height and vaguely amphibian in appearance, with bright blue skin and round, bulging yellow eyes.

"You ish shaving me!" The creature exclaimed, and threw its arms around Auron, who promptly shoved it away from him and glared at it.

"Are you brainless?" he said angrily. "You almost got us killed!"

"I shpeak," the creature said, looking down at the ground and sounding properly chastised.

"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent," Auron muttered, as he wrung the swamp water out of his hair. "Now leave me alone."

"No!" the creature exclaimed suddenly, looking up at him. "I stay. I ish your humble shervant."

Auron rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to his dripping tunic. "That's not necessary."

But the creature (which finally gave its name as Lian, and said that it was a Hypello) insisted that it _was_ necessary, and that he now owed Auron a life-debt as demanded by his Gods. Auron had tuned him out, and was wondering how he was going to get to the Capital to warn the Queen when his attention was brought back to earth by the sudden appearance of Baralai, who was sprinting towards him through the trees—with two battle droids on swoop bikes right behind him.

Auron's eyes widened and he shoved Lian down into the mud. "Stay down!" he barked at the Hypello, and didn't wait to see whether his command was obeyed as he drew his sword, deflecting the laser bolts that the droids were shooting at Baralai. Within seconds both droids and their swoop bikes were destroyed, and Baralai came to a halt in front of Auron, bent over with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"Are you alright?" Auron asked, putting a hand on Baralai's shoulder and checking for injuries—thankfully, there were none.

"Yes, Master." After a few moments Baralai drew himself up, and suddenly noticed Lian, who was still standing next to Auron.

"Who's this?" he asked curiously, giving the Hypello a once-over.

"A local," said Auron, barely sparing Lian a glance. "We should go, before any more droids or machines show up." Baralai nodded in agreement, and they were starting to walk away when Lian spoke up.

"More, did you shay?" He hurried after them and tugged urgently on Auron's sleeve. "The besht plashe to be shafe would be the Moonflow City. It ish where I grew up, it ish a shafe city."

They both turned around to face him. "A city?" Auron asked, his interest piqued. "Can you take us there?"

It was hard to tell, but Lian seemed to smile. "Yesh! Follow me." The two Summoners followed him through the swamp for almost 20 minutes, and just as Auron was about to ask how much farther it was Lian stopped at the banks of a particularly large lake.

"We ish going underwater," Lian said, looking from Auron to Baralai and back again. "Ish that okay?" Auron glanced at Baralai and they both reached into their utility belts, pulling out small breathing masks which they put on before nodding to Lian.

"I ish warning you, the Hypello don't like outlandersh," Lian said, as he stepped into the water. "Yoush won't be getting a warm welcome."

"Don't worry about that," Baralai replied matter-of-factly, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "This hasn't been our day for warm welcomes."


	3. Bevelle

(Yes, I know it's been several months. I blame College and the craziness of my life. I told you I hadn't abandoned this though, and I meant it. This chapter borrows heavily from the Phantom Menace novelization by Terry Brooks- I don't own that, Star Wars, or Final Fantasy, so don't sue me ;) I hope you enjoy this chapter, and be sure to leave me some reviews!)

* * *

To Baralai's eyes, Lian's hometown was both unique and beautiful in its construction, and were it not for the dire circumstances he would have been very pleased to have a chance to look around it. The Moonflow city was composed entirely of a series of linked bubbles, deep under the surface of the lake they were swimming in, and as they got closer Baralai was able to see that not only did the bubbles contain dry air, but that there was an entire town inside, complete with several of Lian's blue-skinned brethren going about their business. 

Baralai was starting to wonder how exactly they were supposed to get inside the town (he didn't see an air-lock anywhere), when Lian answered the question for him; the Hypello simply swam up to and right _through_ the nearest bubble, which sealed seamlessly behind him. Baralai exchanged a glance with Auron (who had been swimming along beside him) and they both followed suit, emerging onto a busy thoroughfare. The nearby Hypello noticed them immediately and scattered, running away in every direction, and before Baralai or Auron could do anything four Hypello guards appeared, heading straight for them. At least Baralai _thought_ they were guards, seeing as each of them was riding on the back of a lizard-like animal and they are all armed with wicked looking electro-poles. His suspicions were confirmed moments later when the guards reached them and lowered their electro-poles, surrounding Lian and the two Summoners. One of the guards had a brief conversation with Lian, then they all surrounded the trio and marched them away, presumably with the intent of taking them to the Hypello Leader.

They were led into a circular chamber, where a long, raised bench filled with Hypello dominated the room. The Leader sat on a higher seat than all the others, and after they were ushered into the center of the room and stood facing him, he spoke.

"What do you outlanders want with ush?" he asked, as the other Hypello officials muttered amongst themselves, staring at the two Summoners. Auron made a respectful bow and explained, relating what had brought them to Bevelle, warning the Hypello of the invasion taking place on the surface, and asking for their help. The Hypello Council listened patiently until he was done, but when he had finished the Leader shook his head, apparently not convinced.

"Yoush cannot be here," he said. "The army up there ish not our problem."

But Auron held his ground. "That army of battle droids is about to attack the Bevellian people," he said. "We must warn them."

"We do not like the people up there!" the Hypello Leader exclaimed. "And they do not like ush. The people think they are better than ush. We have nothing to do with them, whether there ish fighting up there or not."

"After the droid army takes control of the people, they will come down here and take control of you," Baralai said quietly, but the Hypello Leader shook his head in disagreement.

"I do not think sho," he said. "We ish not important to them. That army dush not even know we are down here." The other Hypello nodded in agreement, murmuring their approval of their Leader's wisdom.

"You and the people are connected," Baralai insisted, not ready to give up on the matter. "What happens to one of you will affect the other. You must understand this."

The Leader dismissed his words with a wave of one hand. "We ish not caring what happensh up there."

Before Baralai could think of something to continue his argument, Auron stepped up beside him. "Then speed us on our way," he demanded, bringing up one hand in a casual motion and passing it before the Leader's face in a quick invocation of his magic.

The Hypello Leader stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "We will shpeed yoush away."

"We'll need transport to St. Bevelle," Auron added, holding the Leader's gaze.

The Leader nodded some more. "We will give yoush a bongo. The fashtest way ish through the core. Yoush go now."

Auron bowed. "Thank you for your help. We go in peace."

As the two Summoners (accompanied by Lian, who insisted on staying with them) turned to leave, Baralai leaned close to Auron and whispered "Master, what's a bongo?"

Auron's eyebrows rose. "A transport, I hope."

* * *

In the throne room of the Palace of St. Bevelle, Trema and Asriel were looking around with triumphant smirks on their faces, neither one paying attention to Governor Gandof as he continued to protest their presence. 2 dozen battle droids were holding the Queen, her handmaidens, and her top officials (including the Governor) at gunpoint. The capital city of Bevelle had fallen early that morning; the invasion had been a complete surprise, and even if there had been forewarning the Bevelle were a peaceful people, so there had been little resistance. It had not taken long for the Palace to be captured, and the Machine Faction army was now working on stamping out the last remnants of rebellion in the city. 

Trema glanced around at the captives in the throne room. There was Queen Anima on her throne, dressed all in black and surrounded by her handmaidens, affecting an air of serene detachment and pointedly ignoring himself and Asriel. On the other side of the room stood Captain O'aka, head of Anima's security, and 4 of her personal guards, all weaponless and helpless. O'aka was a powerfully built man, with intelligent, calculating eyes- Trema would never admit it, but he was more than a little nervous at the way those eyes were fixed on him with a look that seemed to say _if I had a blaster, you'd already be dead_.

"Sir, I ask you point-blank," said Gandof, his voice breaking into Trema's thoughts. "How do you think you can possibly explain this invasion to the Senate?"

Trema smirked. "Bevelle and the Machine Faction will sign a treaty that will legitimize our occupation of your planet," he said. "I have been assured that such a treaty will be quickly ratified by the Senate."

The Queen spoke up for the first time in almost an hour then, getting up to face him with angry eyes as she said "I will not co-operate." Trema exchanged glances with Asriel before replying.

"Now now, your Highness," he said smoothly, enjoying the look of ever-increasing anger on her young face. "Don't be so hasty. Eventually the suffering of your people will persuade you to see our point of view." He turned slightly to beckon one of his battle droids over. "Commander?"

"Yes sir?" came the sharp metallic reply.

"Process them."

The droid Commander turned to one of it's subordinates. "Take them to Camp 4!" it ordered, and within minutes the Queen and her entourage had been herded out of the room. Once they were gone, Trema allowed himself to smile slightly. Apart from the missing Summoners (who, if they were still alive, posed no problem to him at the moment), everything was going exactly as planned.

* * *

Outside the Palace, the Queen and other prisoners were being marched through the main plaza of St. Bevelle, surrounded by a dozen battle droids. They passed by a row of tanks, and had just turned down a quieter side street when the battle droid Sergeant, who was leading the group, abruptly stopped. 

Two men were blocking their way, dressed in identical dark brown robes over belted tunics, the older with black hair in a ponytail and the younger with short white hair held back with a headband. A Hypello was with them as well, peeking out from behind the older man's back with frightened eyes. For a moment the two groups looked at each other in silence, then the older man stepped forward.

"Are you Queen Anima?" he asked the Queen, completely ignoring the battle droids around them.

Anima narrowed her eyes at him. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Ambassadors from the Grand Maester," he replied, bowing his head slightly. "We must speak with you, your Highness." It was at this point that the droids suddenly seemed to remember what they should be doing, but the men were ready for them- before the droids could even raise their weapons, the two men (who the Queen now recognized as Summoners) pulled out enchanted swords and cut them apart. Laser bolts were blocked, blasters knocked aside, and within the space of a minute all the droids had been reduced to scrap metal. The Queen's Guards quickly grabbed the fallen blasters, and the Summoners motioned everyone off the street into the shelter of a nearby alley.

"Your Highness," the man said again, facing the Queen and executing the universally recognized prayer bow. "I am Auron Ryder, and this-" he gestured to his younger companion. "Is Baralai Valorum. We are Summoners as well as Ambassadors for the Grand Maester."

"Your negotiations seem to have failed, Ambassador," Governor Gandof observed, with a skeptically raised eyebrow.

"The negotiations never took place," Auron replied, his eyes flickering towards Gandof for a brief moment before focusing again on the Queen. "We need to make contact with the Republic, your Highness."

"We can't," said O'aka, stepping forward. "They've knocked out all our communications."

"Do you have transports?" Auron asked, and O'aka nodded, quick to realize what he had in mind.

"In the main hangar, this way."

It didn't take them long to reach their destination. O'aka found them a side door into the Main Hangar, and with Auron next to him carefully nudged it open and peered inside. The Hangar was filled with ships of varying size and style, all guarded by Battle Droids. O'aka pointed to a silver ship, one of the largest in the room, and whispered to Auron "The Queen's personal transport. She's got the most powerful engines of anything in here."

Auron nodded in approval. "That will do." He turned to face the group behind him, focusing on Queen Anima. "Your Highness. Under the circumstances, I suggest that you come to Zanarkand with us."

The Queen shook her head, her gaze calm and steady. "Thank you, Ambassador, but I feel my place is with my people."

"I don't think so," came Auron's response, his gaze intense as he locked eyes with Anima. "The Machine Faction has other plans. I believe they will kill you if you stay."

"They can't do that!" O'aka protested. "They need her to sign a treaty making this invasion of theirs legal. They can't afford to kill her."

"The situation is not entirely what it seems," said Auron, looking from the Queen to O'aka and back again. "There is no logic to the Machine Faction's actions thus far. You are in very real danger, your Highness."

"Perhaps you should go, your Highness," suggested Governor Gandof. "I will stay here and do what I can for the people, but Senator Mika will need your help in pleading our case-"

"Even if we could get out of here, getting past the blockade is going to be impossible!" O'aka interrupted him. "It's too dangerous-" but Anima finally raised her hand, abruptly halting the debate.

"Either choice presents great risk, to all of us," she said softly, looking from face to face. A few seconds passed in silence, before one of her Handmaidens stepped forward with a tiny nod.

"We are brave, your Highness," she said, and to Auron's surprise the girl's words seemed to end the Queen's indecision. When he urged her again that they must leave, Anima drew herself up and nodded firmly.

"Very well. I will go to Zanarkand and plead our case before the Senate." She bade a brief goodbye to the Governor, chose three of her five handmaidens to come with her, and O'aka directed two of the eight guards to stay behind as well with the Governor and Handmaidens. What remained of their group entered the Hangar, where O'aka pointed to a bunch of pilots, mechanics, and guards that were being held captive in one corner.

"We'll need a Pilot for the ship," he said, and Baralai nodded.

"I'll take care of it," he said, and without breaking stride he veered off towards the captives.

Auron and the rest kept moving, walking straight across the middle of the Hangar and ignoring the battle droids who moved to intercept them. "Get on board, and don't stop for anything," Auron said quietly to the Queen, moments before the nearest of the droids blocked his path.

"Where are you going?" it demanded, and Auron reached inside his robes to put a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Get out of my way," he said boldly. "I'm an Ambassador for the Grand Maester, and I'm taking these people to Zanarkand."

"Zanarkand... wait, that doesn't compute... wait... You're under arrest!" But it was scrap metal almost before it had finished its sentence. Alarms began to blare loudly as droids started firing at them from all directions, and Auron immediately went into action, guarding the boarding ramp as the others hurried on board the vessel. Baralai was running towards him now, with several of the Bevelle in tow, and as he went by Auron called out to him to get the ship in the air. He quickly backed onto the boarding ramp, continuing to fight off the Battle Droids and deflect their blaster shots, and as soon as he got inside closed the opening behind him.

By the time he got to the cockpit, the ship was already moving. He nodded briefly to Baralai, then moved to stand next to the Pilot as the ship shot out of the Hangar and into the sky.

"The name's Nida," said the Pilot, looking over his shoulder briefly to acknowledge Auron. "Thanks for helping us out back there."

Auron looked at him for a moment, then out through the front view port of the ship. "You should save your thanks until we're safely in Hyperspace," he said, and Nida let out a deep breath as his hands tightened on the controls.

"Copy that," was his terse reply, and with that said the occupants of the room grew quiet as they prepared themselves to run the blockade.


End file.
